Absolution
by blossomed-angel
Summary: Hermione and Severus have lived happily for many years. When disturbing incidents start to plague Hermione, her life begins to unravel at a terrifying rate. Will she be able to discover what is wrong with her before it destroys her family? ToyII nonHBPcom
1. Chapter 1

Hermione and Severus have lived happily for many years. When disturbing incidences start to plague Hermione, her life begins to unravel at a terrifying rate. Will she be able to discover what is wrong with her before it destroys her family? (Sequel to Toy - you do not need to have read Toy in order to read this fic, but it may help.)

Happy Reading.

--blossomedangel--

* * *

Hermione stirred in her sleep. She felt extremely cold. Has Severus left the window open again? She shivered to wakefulness and opened her eyes. Hermione looked about her and gasped. 

"What on Earth—?"

She was on the rooftop of their home, looking at the immense forest that stretched from the bottom of their garden right out to the next town. An array of stunning colours danced across the sky as the sun rose above the horizon. Hermione was riveted by the sight.

Hermione had refused to live in Snape Manor after she and Severus had married, and so they had bought and moved into a nice home in the Northumbrian countryside, paid for by the extensive funds of the Snape bank vault. Not too far away from the nearest city, but far enough to be in isolation, they lived in a three-storey house in the middle of a dense forest.

She tried to remember how she had ended up on the roof, but her mind was completely blank. The last thing she remembered was going to bed. She looked at her watch and cursed, before looking around for an escape route. Her wand was not on her, unfortunately, so she ended up jumping onto the nearest tree and climbing down. Luckily, none of her family spotted her.

She rushed up to the bedroom of her seven-year-old daughter, Serena. The black-haired devil was still asleep even though she knew that she was supposed to get up half an hour ago. Serena had Severus' hair, but Hermione's chocolate brown eyes. Unfortunately, she also had the same tendency as Severus did to sleep in and scowl when woken up.

Just as she was scowling at her mother now.

"Mum! Another five minutes?"

"Other children beg not to be put to bed and you beg to stay in bed. Now get up. Your teacher will be arriving soon."

Severus and Hermione had had a great deal of argument. Hermione wanted to let her daughter attend a Muggle primary school, but Severus had refused, saying that children only needed to learn Maths and English when they were young and none of the 'Muggle nonsense' this had merited a huge stone wall of silence from Hermione for weeks. Severus had apologised, in the end, and Hermione had forgiven him instantly.

Finally, they reached an agreement to have their child home-tutored, and Hermione would have the right to decide what her daughter should and should not learn.

Hermione managed to get Serena out of bed, threatening to take away her books otherwise, and Serena hopped downstairs, in her pyjamas, and ate breakfast. Hermione then went to the room next door, where her husband was playing with their two-year-old son.

"Severus! You know Serena has to be up by eight o'clock!"

"You're the only one who can even coax her to get out of bed." Severus argued.

"You could as well, if you tried."

"Now, now, let's not lose our tempers."

"I have not lost my temper." Hermione said, huffing indignantly.

"Mama!" The baby gurgled.

"Yes darling, I've come to get you for breakfast."

And so was the start of another typical day in the household of Snape.

"Severus! You're going to be late!"

"I don't think those dunderheads at Hogwarts will miss me very much if I stay for, say, another five, ten minutes?" Severus said, smiling.

It had taken two years to coax Severus to smile whenever he was happy. And she loved seeing him smile.

They kissed, and only broke apart when their daughter cleared her throat.

"Mum! Dad! You're squishing Alex!" Serena admonished.

Hermione smiled. She knew that her daughter always felt embarrassed whenever they kissed in public. She walked over to Serena and placed Alex in her arms.

"Then you take care of him while Daddy and I go and clean our room."

Their daughter pulled a face, knowing that they were not actually going to 'clean their room' – more likely make it messier. Hermione was already half undressed by the time they had made it to the bedroom.

"Severus, we should lock the door." Hermione said, giggling.

Severus looked up from the spot he had been kissing on her neck and scowled. He flicked his wand and the door was locked and silenced.

"Happy?" he growled.

"Not if you're going to stay under so many layers, Professor." Hermione smirked.

The announcement of their engagement had shocked a huge part of the Wizarding world, especially those who had been taught by Severus Snape. Harry and Ron had been supportive, even though Harry and Severus still hated each other. Professor Dumbledore was the one who had forced them to make the announcement in the middle of the Great Hall, some days after Hermione's foiled escape attempt.

Hermione and Severus had entered the hall for breakfast one morning, finding themselves the object of scrutiny just after Dumbledore had finished speaking.

"The pair who are about to enter into the Great Hall have an important announcement to make."

Severus had frozen just behind Hermione. Neither of them knew how Dumbledore had known that Severus had proposed the night before, but they had both flushed, and, being the Gryffindor of the two, Hermione had made the announcement herself.

"Professor Snape and I are to be married next month."

Many people's jaws had dropped. Severus slipped straight out again, but Hermione grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving. The most spectacular was Ginny, who had been so shocked, she had collapsed off her chair, sweeping her plate and goblet off the table at the same time and causing an almighty crash. It was mostly the Gryffindors and Slytherins looking shocked.

The Hufflepuffs were the ones who started clapping first, after the teachers. The Gryffindors were still having a staring fight with the Slytherins until finally, the Ravenclaws next to them began hitting some of them over the head and forcing them to clap. Severus had never looked so flustered in his entire life. Hermione had never beamed so much.

There had been a few catcalls asking Hermione to kiss Severus, but he dragged her out of the hall before that could take place.

Zooming back to the present, Hermione was now ushering Severus to get changed.

"You're going to be so late! Five, ten minutes, my ar—"

"Are you complaining?" Severus said, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course not." Hermione said, kissing him again. "But really! Dumbledore is going to have a fit!"

"You know he won't. Knowing him, he has probably cancelled the whole day's classes for me." He scowled at the thought.

"What's wrong? Scared you won't be able to torture some poor group of first-years?"

He feigned irritation, but gave her a peck on the cheek before disappearing into the kitchen fire-place. Serena came running out, but looked disappointed.

"Has he gone already?" she asked, struggling with the over-energetic child in her arms.

Hermione lifted Alex into her arms again and nodded.

"I wanted to ask him to bring back some more powdered beetle eyes!" Serena stomped off, upset.

"I'm sure he probably knows you need some more." Hermione said as she tried to feed her stubborn son.

She put Alex in his chair and began washing up the remnants of Serena's breakfast. Hermione had absolutely refused to allow a house-elf to even step into the house.

"They're slaves!"

"They were the ones who fed and changed your sheets while you were in Snape Manor!"

"I was a captive, in case you've forgotten."

"Pity, I was hoping you'd overlook that little detail." Severus said, kissing her on the nose.

How infuriating that man was! Hermione thought as she placed the dish down on the drying rack with more force than she had intended. Every time they had an argument, he won, and only because he would kiss her and she'd wind up forgetting what she was saying and agreeing with whatever he said.

Hermione went over to the knife drawer and unlocked it with the key around her neck. She took out a large meat knife and stared at its sharp edge. Suddenly, she blinked and looked at the object in her hands.

"Now why did I take this out?" Hermione thought aloud as she put the knife back into the drawer.

Hermione looked at the time and yelped, she grabbed her coat and her briefcase and took a handful of floo powder.

"Serena! I'm going! Don't open the door to strangers, don't forget to feed Alex, don't divulge any details about—"

"The house, our family, or myself over the telephone. I know Mum, go! You're going to be late! Between you and Daddy…" Serena sighed in exasperation.

It was tough being the only adult in the house. At least, for a seven-year-old. Hermione smiled. She had installed a telephone system, despite Severus' insistence that it was completely useless, because, in case of an emergency, anyone could call for help. There was Harry's, Ron's phone numbers at the top, and nine-nine-nine recorded, since Severus could never remember it.

Hermione was in her last year at University studying to become a medi-Witch. And her exams were coming up, so her study was a complete mess at the moment, to Severus' disapproval. Medi-Wizadry was completely to Hermione's taste, and she was glad she did not take up the Ministry's offer for Auror training.


	2. Chapter 2

When Hermione returned that evening, her head was almost ready to explode. It had not been a particularly strenuous day, but for some reason, her head had been rebelling against her since she left home. She took a pain relief potion for the fourth time that day, ignoring the small voice that warned her about the risk of overdosing. It was Monday, so that meant that Severus was not going to come back for another four days. Hermione was already wishing that he had skipped the day and stayed home.

She ignored the urge to go directly to bed and cleaned the house from top to bottom. Alex and Serena were watching television in the lounge, another contraption that had required six hours of bickering before Severus had relented, and Hermione was glad that she had won. It kept the children from bothering her while she worked or cleaned the house. However-

"Serena Snape! It is past your bedtime! And why is Alex still up? Off to bed! I'll get Alex ready for bed."

"Don't worry Mum, I'll do it."

"Thank you. How was your day?"

"It was so boring! I've already learnt all the stuff she's teaching me!" Serena pouted.

"Your father won't be happy to know that you're interested in Muggle Science."

"I know… Please, please, pretty please?"

"I'll discuss it with your father when he gets home on Friday."

"Mum!"

"You know that I can't do stuff behind his back, now stop delaying. Go! Or no TV for the rest of the week."

Serena grinned and disappeared up the stairs, holding a happy Alex. Alex was such a happy baby, very strange, considering both his parents had been suicidal for most of their lives.

Hermione sighed. It was true. Whenever she wanted to change something, no matter how small, she had to talk to Severus, or he would literally explode like Mount Vesuvius. He seemed to think that if she wanted to change from one brand of shampoo to another without his permission, she was trying undermine his authority. Sometimes, she wanted to shout back, but she knew that it was hard for him, not being able to be home during the week. That was her fault, and she could not help feeling guilty for taking away his time with his children, but Hermione refused to raise her children in Hogwarts. They needed some sort of normality, without being gawked or laughed at by the students.

Hermione finished cleaning and was preparing something for dinner when she blacked out.

Or at least, she thought she did.

When she came to, she was once again, on the roof, teetering over the edge. She stumbled backwards quickly, heart pounding in fear. She apparated back to the kitchen, feeling confused. Something strange was happening to her. And it scared her.

As the days passed, she lost consciousness more and more frequently. Sometimes she would find herself in the basement, sometimes down the road, sometimes in her bedroom, but she never had any memory of having travelled there. The only consistency was that she ended up on the roof night after night, frightened and cold.

As soon as Severus had returned on Friday, he knew that there was something wrong. Maybe it was in her strained smile, or the dark eye circles, or even the way she greeted him when he stepped out of the fireplace. They had waited until their children were in bed before Hermione fell into his arms, shaking in fear.

"Severus, something's very wrong with me."

Then she explained everything that had happened.

"And I never have my wand with me, Severus. I don't understand how I can actually get up on the roof with no wand, and no ladder. I'm sure I did not climb a tree."

"Have you asked your Professors about this?"

"They said that I was too stressed, but the problem is, I really don't think it's related to stress. The only other thing I can think of is that I'm suffering the starts of Amnesia."

Hermione sobbed into Severus' shoulder.

"I don't want to forget, Severus… I don't want to forget everything… I don't want to forget Serena, or Alex, or you…" Hermione said.

"You won't Hermione. This will pass. We'll go to St. Mungo's tomorrow. Come, come to bed."

Severus led her upstairs.

She was there again. On the roof. She sat down numbly. Why?

"Why Goddammit!" She cried out into the night.

It was still dark and the only response she got were the squawking of crickets. The stars were clouded from view and the moon was absent, leaving her unable to see anything but pitch black. She patted the tiles beneath her and sighed with relief when she had confirmed that she was not in danger of toppling off the roof. The thought of tumbling to her death and being found by Severus in morning chilled her to the bone.

There was a popping noise, and Severus appeared by her side. He lifted her easily in his arms.

"Thank you." Hermione said.

There was no reply.He disapparated back to their room, and they both slept fitfully for the rest of the night.

"Is Potter free today?" He asked as he dressed.

"I think so. Why?"

"He's usually more than happy to look after Serena and Alex for a while." He said sourly.

"I never thought that you would be the one to suggest it. Why don't you call him while you're at it?" Hermione teased.

Severus scowled and walked downstairs. Hermione dressed quickly and followed after.

"Potter?" Severus said loudly down the phone.

"Professor Snape? Sorry, can you be a little softer, I think I've just gone deaf in one ear."

Severus scowled even more, but acquiesced to lowering his voice.

"Come over to the house as soon as possible." Severus said.

"Yes Professor." Harry said, sounding tired.

Hermione giggled and kissed Severus as soon as he hung up. Her hands drifted up in their own accord and trailed around his neck. Her thumbs touched as they reached the base of his throat and Hermione jolted in shock and quickly pulled away.

"Sorry, I..." Hermione rubbed her forehead.

Her headache was coming back. Severus looked at her strangely, but did not have a chance to comment. Harry appeared through the fire with impeccable timing. Severus scowled and left the room.

"Harry, could you possibly look after Alex and Serena for a while? You can just let them watch TV if you want. I just need to make sure that they don't decide to run off while they have the chance." Hermione said, after giving her old friend a hug.

"Of course. How are you Hermione? I haven't heard from you for a while."

"I'm… I'm doing alright. Harry…" Hermione checked to make sure Serena was still upstairs. "I'm going to St. Mungo's."

"St. Mungo's? That doesn't sound like you're doing alright." Harry asked, worry lines appearing on his face, crinkling his fading scar.

"I've been having… memory loss…" Hermione was beginning to doubt her own hypothesis.

First she brought out a sharp knife for no reason, then she nearly strangled her husband? Those were not symptoms of amnesia or any kind of memory loss issue. It was something else that might be more serious. She could just imagine the Medi-Wizard turning to her at the end of his examination, saying:

"I am afraid you are naturally homicidal, Mrs. Snape. There is nothing we can do... until you actually kill someone of course, at which point you will be granted a one-way ticket to Azkaban free of charge. Have a nice day!"

And then ushering her and Severus out into the corridor, where, in all likelihood, the paperazzi would be eagerly watiing along with Rita Skeeter...

"Are you not telling me something, Hermione?" Harry said. "I've known you for too long. Something's up, isn't it?"

"I'm not sure what, yet. But as soon as I do, you'll be the first I tell. And then Ron, if he's not… occupied." Hermione said, blinking out of her sordid little daydream.

They shared knowing grins.

Ron's been quite the Casanova, recently. He gave up trying to become an Auror and was now playing for the Chudley Cannons, as Goal Keeper. The team had won the last game, and so the women were lining up by the dozen. Harry was still steady with Ginny, of course. There were rumours of a possible engagement in the papers, but Hermione had heard nothing at all.

"Hermione… do you ever regret not having chosen to try other boyfriends before settling down with Snape?" Harry whispered.

"Harry! You know that I'm happy with the way things are!" Hermione said, alarmed.

What if that was the root of her problems? Her daydreams suddenly took a turn down a darker path.

"Anyway, if you have any other problems, call and I'll come right over."

"Thanks Harry."

Severus appeared and they stepped into the flames, flooing over to St. Mungo's.

A few hours later, they flooed back.

"Well that was a waste! Even I knew that having blanking out could mean stress, over-work, etcetera, etcetera! That doesn't answer my question at all!" Hermione exploded.

"Hermione, maybe you are a little over-stressed." Harry said, appearing in the kitchen.

"I am _not_, Harry Potter." Hermione said, flushed in the face.

Harry raised his hands in defeat and retreated into the TV room. Severus placed his hands on Hermione shoulder, consoling her.

"Hermione, try to do what the Medi-Wizard says. Even if you aren't over-worked, it may help in the long run. You don't want to blank out in your exams on Monday, do you?"

"No… okay, I get it. I'll try to not stress and relax a bit more. But… I can think of just the thing that will have me relaxed in less than a minute." Hermione said, kissing Severus passionately.

"I'm going…" Harry trailed off, seeing them in a very intimate embrace.

He disappeared through the fire faster than he had ever flown on a broom. Severus smirked into Hermione's neck.

"That got rid of him. Bedroom?"


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione woke from a nightmare. She was covered in sweat, and alone in the room. She stumbled over to the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked perfectly normal, besides her flushed cheeks.

"What a weird dream." She muttered as she splashed cold water on her face.

When she saw the red eyes in the darkness of her dream, she had immediately assumed that she was dreaming about Voldemort. Only, when she illuminated the area with magic, she was staring at her own reflection in a mirror. There was blood smeared down the front of her clothes, covering her hands and even her face. Her irises were a matching colour.

She shook her head. Why was she dreaming about him anyway? He was gone. He had been so for over seven years. Hermione made her way downstairs and heard Severus' laughter, echoing from down the hallway. She smiled. His laugh was so special, and whenever he did laugh, it put a smile on her face and brightened her day. She found him, playing with Alex, and she placed her hands on her hips.

"You spend so much time with Alex and so little with our daughter." Hermione said.

"Well, he is my only son-" Severus started.

"Severus, you know how I feel about inequality…"

He sighed and stood, still holding Alex, and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"What are the chances that Serena is still ticklish?"

"Very high." Hermione said, eyebrow raised.

Her husband marched off in the direction of the kitchen, and a few minutes later, Hermione heard the wailing pleas for mercy drifting up the stairs as Serena was tickled non-stop by her father and her little brother.

"It's not fair! Two against one! Mum!"

"It was your mother's idea in the first place."

"Mum! How could you!" Serena wailed, still laughing.

Hermione smiled. Severus may not appear so, but he was a very loving father, but he really did spend far more time with Alex than Serena. Hermione frowned at this.

Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon revising in her study. At nightfall, the door opened and she felt Severus' arms wrap themselves around her.

"Just one more minute." Hermione said, trying to ignore his lips that were now attacking her neck viciously.

"The children have eaten and are in bed." Severus growled.

His voice tickled her flesh, and Hermione could not resist anymore, and she yanked him onto her lap.

"A little eager?" He said.

"I'm supposed to be relaxing, I'm just making your job easier."

Hermione captured his lips. The books on the table were swiftly swept onto the floor, and Hermione was bent back over the desk.

* * *

"Well, that's off the checklist then." Hermione sighed as they lay spent on the carpeted floor.

Hermione drew patterns on Severus' chest, smiling whenever she felt him shudder. They soon moved back to the bedroom and continued there, before falling asleep a few hours later, entangled in each other's arms.

Hermione woke up early the next morning to find herself standing by Severus' side, hands high above her head, clutching the meat knife. She swallowed a shriek and stumbled away from the bed, dropping the knife onto the floor. It clattered loudly, but Severus continued sleeping. Hermione hurriedly took the knife back down to the kitchen, and found the knife drawer wide open.

Never, in all her time that she had lived in the house, had she left the knife drawer open and not be in the vicinity of the kitchen as well. Hermione re-locked the drawer before bursting into tears. She had to get out. She needed some time alone, to think.

She grabbed her coat off the coat stand and left the house. The sun had not even risen above the horizon. She made her way through the forest, meandering between the trees. The disused driveway led onto a gravel road through the forest, but there were several footpaths criss-crossing through the woods.. After walking for a long time, just absent-mindedly enjoying the morning air and the twittering of the birds, she discovered a bench and rested for a while.

"I have to stop delaying the inevitable." Hermione spoke to the air.

Analysis was her forte. She had to think logically, and come up with, if not a solution, at least a plan of action.

Why was her subconscious trying to kill her husband?

Hermione thought of all the things which he did that annoyed her. She fuelled her anger until it was reaching breaking point. Except that she could not forget all the things that she loved about him. She hoped that now she had finally sorted out that she actually did want to keep her husband alive, whatever homicidal urge she possessed would be calmed and would leave her alone. She trekked back slowly, smiling all the way. Everything would be fine.

"What is love?" She said.

That came out of the blue. Hermione paused and thought for a while. Love was what she felt when she saw Severus. Love was what she felt when she watched her children playing. It gave a familiar warmth to her heart as when she felt happiness, but it was different. Love is stronger than happiness. Love is even stronger than hate.

Hermione was glowing as she entered the house. However, her smile did not last long. Severus was very angry. He was blazing in fury. Hermione had not seen this in him in years. The anger rolled off him in waves as he clenched and unclenched his fists while pacing backwards and forwards in the kitchen.

"Good morning." Hermione said quietly.

"Where have you been?" Severus asked.

"I just went out for some fresh air." Hermione answered, bewildered.

"For five hours?"

"I walked to—"

"Hermione, who is it?" He snarled.

"Who?" Hermione said, feeling confused and scared.

Severus was completely red in the face. His hands shot to her shoulders, squeezing hard.

"Is it Potter? Or Weasley?"

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about, Severus?" Hermione said, trying to shake free of his hold.

"Who are you cheating on me with?" He shouted.

He released her. Hermione was shocked.

"But I- I'm not- What? I'm not ch-"

Hermione's head crashed into the kitchen counter. He had struck her.

"You hit me?" Hermione said indisbelief.

Hermione pressed her hand against her stinging cheek, and looked up at her husband. The man she loved. The man she loved with all her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes. She watched him march angrily to the fire.

"Severus, don't leave me." Hermione whimpered. "I--"

He was gone.

She slipped into darkness. When she woke up, she was lying on the couch in the TV room. Her head felt very sore. Sobs alerted her to the presence of Serena. She was sitting in a foetal position in the corner of the room, crying.

"Serena, what's wrong?"

Hermione went over to her daughter and gathered her into her arms. Her daughter continued to cry for a long time, until she ran out of tears and she hugged her mother.

"I heard you. I heard you and Daddy fighting."

"Serena…"

"Has Daddy left us?"

"No, he'll come back."

"Are you going to get divorced?"

Where did Serena learn all of this?

"Of course not, darling. I love your father very much."

"But he hit you. He hurt you, Mum. Does that mean he doesn't love you?"

"No darling… I think that Daddy loves me, but he… he is a little paranoid."

"Why?"

"Because…" How do you explain to a seven-year-old that you had sex with another man in front of her father even if it had been forced? "I don't know, Serena, but I promise you that he still loves you and Alex with all his heart."

"He only loves Alex." Serena said in a petulant tone.

"Of course not! Don't say that!"

"But it's true, Mum, he always checks on Alex before coming to see me. He never plays with me anymore, and-"

"Alex is still very young. Your father is beginning to treat you as an adult. He knows that you're responsible enough not to swallow anything small enough to fit into your mouth and he knows that you like books and reading, just like your father and I both do."

Serena nodded, seemingly appeased.

"I love you, Mum. You won't leave us, will you?"

"I love you too, Serena. I love you and Alex both. I would never leave you if I had a choice in the matter."

"Does that mean Daddy may force _you _to leave?"

"No." How do you explain to your child that someday you will die and leave the world forever?

"Mum, I think I'll go and play with Alex for a while… you don't mind, do you?"

"No, no, of course not. Go ahead. Just don't wander off into the forest."

"Yes, Mum."

Serena disappeared up the stairs. Hermione finally let herself cry. Although she had promised Serena that Severus would return, she was not sure if he actually would… of course, she would be able to find him in Hogwarts tomorrow, since he would never miss lessons, but…

Hermione spent the day moping about in the kitchen, learning new recipes, cleaning the surfaces, making lunch, waiting, and waiting. She stayed up all night, waiting, but he never came. Serena got up by herself the next morning, and Hermione had kissed her goodbye before she left to take her exams.

Hermione knew she would pass them, for sure, but she had been so upset that she had burst into tears halfway through. She left half of it unfinished, knowing that she would get a very low grade, but she could not care less. Her heart was aching for Severus to return.

She flooed home, silently hoping, wishing that he would be there, arms wide open, waiting for her. But she stepped into a silent house. Alex was sleeping, Serena in her lessons.

Hermione was willing to put up with anything, as long as he came back. She could not bear it anymore. Knowing that he was angry with her. Suddenly, a thought of him terrorising his poor students slipped unbidden into her thoughts and she smiled, before remembering the reason for his anger.

She must have fallen asleep over the kitchen counter, but she only woke many hours later, inside the room of her son, hands high above her head, ready to bring down the sharpest knife from _the _drawer into the crib where Alex lay innocently staring up at her.

"Mama." He gurgled.

"Oh Merlin!" Hermione breathed, dropping the knife on the floor, hands shaking.

"Mum?"

Hermione clapped her hands over her ears as she heard Voldemort's maniacal laughter, ringing in her head. She backed away from the knife and saw Serena enter the room. Hermione grabbed Serena and made her look into her eyes.

"Serena, I need you to be brave. Take the knife, and take my wand. Hold them, and don't let go of them, no matter what. As soon as I've left the room, I want you to lock the door, and keep it locked. Do not open the door unless your father, Uncle Harry, Uncle Ron, or Professor Dumbledore is with me. Do not open the door if I am alone. If the house is about to burn down, I don't care, you are to stay in this room and wait for someone other than myself to get you out."

"Mum, what's going on? You're scaring me." Serena said.

She clutched the knife and the wand in her hands, but they were shaking in fear.

"I don't know, Serena, but I'm going to find out. Remember what I said. Lock the door."

Hermione made sure she heard the click of the lock before she ran to her study. She began to pull out all of her books. Every single tome that she owned that lined the walls of her study. She flicked through the books one by one before throwing them onto the floor.

"Where is it? Where?" She could see part of the extract in her mind.

It took her an hour, but she found it in a large tome.

_When a spirit possesses a body, it may lie dormant for hours, days, months, or even years. When it wakes, the possessed will begin to suffer memory loss. These times are when the spirit has taken control of the body. The spirit can either be forced out by an exorciser (beware, for the spirit may enter another person) or, if the person kills themselves, the spirit will die with them. However—_

Hermione felt like her head had been shoved into a tank of water. She clutched at her throat gasping for air. She tried to read on, but darkness overwhelmed her.

"No…" She cried hoarsely.

Seconds later, she stood up again, and looked into her reflection in the glass. Her eyes were scarlet red.

A smile adorned her lips. _"Come out and play with me, little ones."_


End file.
